Ironing machine



Sept. 29, 1925.

S. OPPENHEIMER IRONING MACHINE 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet .l

Filed Aug. '11.

Sept. 29, 192 5.v

's. OPPENHEIMER IRONING MACHINE Filed Aug. 11. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventoi:

5. OPPENHEIMER IRONING MACHINE Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555, 00

Filed Aug. 11. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 29, 1925.

-$. OPPENHEJMER IRONING MACHINE v Filed Aug- 11. s Sheets-Sheet 4 s. OPPENHEIMER Spt. 29,

IRONING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1 1, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet s In Iran Com Patented Sept. 29, 1925;

UNITED STATES SAMUEL OPPENHEIMER, on CINCINNATI, OHIO.

InoNINe MACHINE.-

Application filed August 11, 1922. Serial No. 581,072.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL OPBEN- HEIMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of my invention to provide a new and improved ironing machine in which there is an ironing shoe reciprocable in novel manner with relation to the drum; further, to provide novel means for supporting the ironing shoe whereby the latter is arranged to exert yielding pressure toward the drum and whereby the ironing surface of the shoe will recede according to the thicknesses of the goods between the shoe and the drum at various parts of said ironing surface; further, to provide novel means for supporting the ironing shoe and for yieldingly balancing said shoe; further, to provide novel means whereby to introduce the goods to be ironed into the ironing machine; further, to provide novel means for controlling the action of the ironing shoe with relation to the drum; and, further, to provide novel means whereby end ironing may be accomplished.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of my improved device.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same, partly broken away. I

, Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the machine, partly in section with the near side frame removed, showing cushioning means for the ironing shoe.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the upper portion of the open end of the same, with the near side frame partly brokenaway.

Fig. 6 is a detail in cross-section, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1, showing the treadle-holding and releasing mechanism; and,

usual construction and comprise a shell 13,

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the treadleabout which there is a cushioning cover 14. The drum is exemplified as mounted on a shaft 15 journaled in bearings 16 of the side members of the frame.

A gear 17 is fixed to the shaft 15, and is meshed by a pinion 18 journaled on a stud 19 secured to one of the side members of the frame. A worm-gear 20 is fixed to the pinion 18 so as to rotate therewith. A worm 21 meshes with the worm-gear, and is fixed to a shaft 22, journaled in bearings 23 of a grease-box 24, secured to the side mem ber of the frame. The grease-box may contain grease or oil or other lubricant to lubricate the worm and worm-gear. The shaft 22 may be directly connected, as by a suitable coupling 26, with the armature shaft 27 of an electric motor 28, suitably supported and fixed to a bracket 29 extending from the main frame. K

An ironing shoe 31 is provided with an ironing face 32, which is an arcuate ,face and co-operates with the outer periphery of the covered ironing drum 12, for ironing the goods in the ironing space 33 between the ironing shoe and the ironing drum. The ironing shoe is provided" with a heating chamber 34, in which there are suitable heating means, for instance, a gas pipe 35 provided with flame apertures for projecting the flames or gas jets toward the ironing wall 36 of the ironingshoe.

The ironing shoe is at each of its ends provided with a trunnion 41, the centers of which preferably coincide substantially With the center of gravity of the ironing shoe when'in positional relation with the drum for performing the ironing functions.

The ironing shoe is permitted to tilt on its pivotal mounting in order that the portions of the ironing face of the shoe at the respective sides of its pivotal axis, which are in the present exemplification above and below the horizontal plane in which said piv-' otal axis is located, mayrespectively move toward and from the ironing drum, according to the thicknesses of the goods which may be passing between the ironing shoe and the ironing drum.

Means are also provided whereby the ironing shoe maybe moved bodily toward and from the ironing drum, exemplified. as accomplished by yieldingly mounting the pivotal axis of the ironing shoe; and further,

means are provided wherebv such m'ovements may take place selectively at the respective ends of the ironing shoe, or throughout its length, according to the re sista-nces of the goods being ironed between the drum and the shoe at various portions in their lengths.

The means provided permits bodily movement of the shoe toward and from the drum; permits such movement to take place at the respective ends of the drum and shoe, for shifting the angle of the pivotal axis of the shoe with relation to the axis of rotation of the drum; and, further, permits the tilting of the shoe on its pivotal axis, in the Various positions of said pivotal axis, for resilient yield of the ironing face of the shoe with relation to the supporting face of the drum, in order that there may be ironing contact and pressure upon the goods between the shoe and the drum regardless of various thicknesses of goods or the positions of such goods between the shoe and the drum.

I have exemplified means for accomplishing these purposes as comprising a lever 43 at each end of the shoe, pivoted on a'stud 44 secured to the frame. Each of these levers comprises a bearing 45, the trunnions 41 of the shoe being mounted in these bearings. The path of the bearing 45 is preferably located in a vertical plane substantially coincident with or close to the vertical plane in which the stud 44 is located, so as to provide ease of operation of the shoe.

The levers are represented as bell-crank 47. A rod 48 has operative connection with the operating arm, at each end of the machine, and is articulated at 49 with a rod 50 secured to a treadle-lever 51, pivoted on a rod 52, exemplified as one of the tie-rods of the main frame. The treadle-lever has bearings 53 about said rod, collars 54 secured to said rod positioning the location of the treadle-lever endwise. The treadlelever is provided with a foot-board 55. De-

- pressing the foot-board plap'es the shoe in ironing relation with the drum. Such ironing relation is maintained for instance by means of a latch 61 on the operating treadle, having a keeper 62 spring-pressed by a spring 63 toward ratchet-teeth 64 on a block 65 secured to a tie-rod 66 of the main frame, as by means of a bolt 67.

A supplemental treadle 71 is fast on a shaft rockable on the foot-board in bearings 72. This shaft has an arm 73 fast thereon. A pin 74 on the keeper 62 is received in a slot 75 in the arm 73. When the operating treadle is depressed, the latch will automatically engage the respective teeth, according to the amount of depression imparted to the operating treadle. Selective pressures may be thus provided upon the goods. When it is desired to release the operating treadle, the supplemental treadle is depressed for releasing the keeper.

A spring 77 between a collar 78, adjustably secured to the rod 48 by a set-bolt 76, and the main frame at each side of the machine, acts to normally raise the operating treadle and to cause recession of the ironing shoe from the drum. A lug 80 extending from the collar at each side of the machine is arranged to strike the cross-girt 79 of the main frame to serve as a stop' to limit retraction of the ironing shoe.

The operative connection between the operating treadle and the operating arm of the bell-crank at each end of the shoe is preferably a cushion connection, and is instanced as comprising a spring 81 surrounding the upper end of the rod 48, between a bearing 82 in the operating arm, through which the rod projects, and a hand-nut 83 at the upper threaded end 84 of said rod. The bearing 82 rests on a collar 85 on the rod, to compel recession of the shoe when the operating treadle is raised. When the opera-ting treadle is lowered, the operating arm is depressed through the medium of the rod, the adjusting nut 83 and the spring 81, to cause the shoe to impinge the covered drum, the degree of pressure between the shoe and the drum being determined by the adjustment of the nuts 83 and the amount of depression of the operating treadle.

The ironing wall of the ironing drum is preferably in the form of a sector of a cylinder received about the rear portion of the drum, and is provided with a flaring lip 86, flaring away from the periphery of the drum to provide an entering mouth 87 between said flaring lip and the periphery of the drum.

An infeeding table 91 is provided. This table is preferably provided with an infeeding lip 92, which is uite close to the periphery of the covered rum. The feeding table has a feeding surface 93, which, with the feeding lip, is preferably substantially tangential to the circle of the cylinder of the drum. It is shown locatedin a horizontal plane which is substantially coincident'with the horizontal plane in which the top face of the drum is located. The infeeding table is shown supported by brackets 94 on the respective sideframes of the main frame. It has recesses 95 at the adjusting nuts 83.

An infeeding roller 96 is provided, and is arranged to act on the goods to be ironed, and 'to guide the same between the infeeding end of the table and the shoe. This infeeding roller may be of suitable material and drum While the machine is in use, and is 'fed into'the machine so as to spread the goods and aid in the feeding of the goods in straight and uncrease'd relation in fiat work, and to aid in the'ironing of creases or folds arranged in the goods prior to contact therewith by the shoe.

The" IOlleIf is provided with a shaft 101,

' each end'of which is received in a bearing 102. Theieis a ,lever'103 pivoted to a stud 104 at'the upper end of each of theside frames, the bearings 102 being on these levers. The bearings are shown as slot bearings for ready approachand recession of the roller. toward and from the drum according to the thicknesses of goods being fed into the machine. The bearings may also be open-ended as shown at 105 for ready insertion and removal of the roller.

Means are provided for causing approach and recession of the roller respectively at the times of approach and recession of the shoe withi relation to the drum. This arrangement causes co-operative relation between the infeeding roller and the drum during co-operative relation of the shoe with the drum and causes the infeeding roller to be free from the drum when the shoe is free from the drum. This aids in preserving the covering of the drum by relieving the cover from the pressure of the roller when the machine is not in use, and permits greater freedom of arrangement of the infeeding edges of the goods to be fed into the machine.

The bell-crank lever is provided with an arm 108 with which a link 109 is articulated at 110. j The link is received through a bearing 111 in the lever 103. It is provided with a threaded end 112 about which a hand nut 113 'is threaded. Adjustment of the hand-nut determines the extent of approach and recession of the infeeding roller toward and from the drum with relation to the positions of the shoe. There is preferabl one of these structures at each end of the rum.

Springs are provided, preferably at each end of the shoe, and preferably at each side of the pivotal axis of the shoe, represented as above and below said pivotal axis, so as to equalize the pressure between the shoe and the drum at the respective sides of said pivotal axis. Thesev springs are shown at 115, 116. The springs have attachment at their respective ends with pins 117, 118, respectively on an upward extension 119 of the frame and the shoe 31.

When it is desired to feed goods into the machine, the goods are spread on the feedtable, with the feeding-in edge of the goods adjacent to the feeding-in lip 92, or under the infeeding roller. Depression of the op erating treadle causes approach between the shoe and the drum and between the infeeding roller and the drum,'whereby contact of the infeeding edge of the goods is caused between the feeding-in roller and'the drum to draw the goods off the table and guide them into the feeding-in mouth between the shoe and the drum and causing the goods to be smoothly ironed between the shoe and the drum in ironing flat work, or, to be ironed in folds according to prefolding thereof if desired. The infeeding roller is preferably close to the entering mouth of the ironing shoe to prevent buckling of the goods being fed into the ironing space. This roller also acts as a protection against contact of the hot shoe by the operator. The ironed goods are received from the ironing space on a receiving table 120.

ing to maintain normal positioning of the shoe on its pivotal axis.

The springs 81 permit bodily yield of' the shoe to undue strains, either throughout the entire length of the shoe or at either end thereof.

End freedom is providedbeyond the end of the drum and the shoe, shown at the left of the machine, for permitting ready ironing of certain parts of goods, for instance, folded ends or other end portions and other I portions, where it is desired that one portion of the article shall be ironed while another portion shall extend endwise with re-' lation thereto, but not be subjected to the ironing operation.

For accomplishing this in the present in stance, the upper end of the left side frame of the main frame, is recessed, as at 122, to a line in rear of the ironing space, and a recess 123 is provided in said side frame below the bearing 16 for the drum-shaft.-

The operating arm of the bell-crank lever is also preferably provided with a downwardly bent portion 124. There is also preferably end freedom beyond the end of the feeding-in lip of the table and between the infeeding roller and the drum, as well as beyond the entering mouth 87 between the shoe and the drum.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an ironing machine, the combination of an ironing drum, an ironing shoe coacting therewith, means for. moving said ironing shoe toward and from said ironing drum, an infeeding roller, coacting with said ironing drum, means for supporting said roller adjacent to said ironing shoe but normally out of contact therewith, levers independently supporting said ironing shoe and said infeeding roller, and connected means for simultaneously operating said levers.

2. In an ironing machine, the combination of an ironing drum, an ironing shoe coacting therewith, means for moving said ironing shoe toward and from said ironing drum, an infeeding roller, means for supporting said infeeding roller adjacent to said ironing shoe, and means for adjusting said supporting means, whereby to adjust the distance relation between said infeeding roller and said ironing drum.

3. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing drum, an ironing shoe having a concave ironing face for said ironing drum, a bell-crank lever pivoted to said frame at each end of said shoe, a pivot-connection between said ironing shoe and each of said bell-crank levers, the axes of said respective pivots being in substantially coincident vertical planes, resilient means between said frame and said shoe to urge normal relation between said ironing face and said ironing drum, an infeeding roller, supporting means for the latter, and connecting means operatively connecting said bell crank levers and said supporting means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

SAMUEL OPPENHE-IMER. 

